Median project set to start in October

By Chris Sokoloskicsokoloski@southstrandnews.com

Work on the U.S. Highway 17 median project is expected to begin in October and be completed by Nov. 30, 2015, according to the S.C. Department of Transportation.

The project to fill in most of the median begins at Baskervill Drive and ends at the North Causeway.

Leah Quattlebaum, SCDOT program engineer, said all the construction bids were due earlier this month, and it will take a month for SCDOT to choose the contractor. The contractor will then have a month to come up with a construction schedule.

She also said it is up to the contractor as to the order in which the work is done.

As part of the project, Hotel Drive, between the Fresh Market shopping center and the hotel at Parkersville Road, will be expanded to three lanes.

Drivers coming from Library Lane onto Hotel Drive to access Highway 17 will have left- and right-hand turn lanes. A traffic signal will also be installed.

SCDOT recently bought 4,675 square feet of land at the corner from Fresh Market for $84,900.

Boyd Johnson, the county’s planning director, said the purchase was to ensure drivers can have clear sight lines when turning at the intersection.

Hotel Drive is currently a private road, but the county is negotiating with its three owners – Dr. Jed Tiller, the Fresh Market and the owner of the hotel – to take possession of the road.

“We’re asking that it be donated,” Johnson said.

The county is also asking the owners to donate some cash to make minor repairs to the road.

“Everybody has verbally so far, nodded their head yes,” Johnson said.

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